Left In Lowell

I have been following City Government in Lowell for decades. I think I am pretty good at identifying political maneuvering when I see it. Often when a CC member asks a question, it is not because he/she does not know the answer but it is to advance their personal agenda. I get tired of the self-serving comments and speeches. I am sure most of you do too. Some of these guys have to stop campaigning and start legislating. Here are my thoughts on the motions of tonight’s Lowell City Council meeting.

Motions:
C. Elliott-Req. Mgr. update Council on FY 09 Budget/Expenditures etc.
I will be anything than when CM Bernie Lynch comes in with his cuts (consolidations, eliminations of redundancies, put in place efficiencies) the CC members who scream the loudest about the fiscal crisis will not be happy when their buddies lose a job or a City contract; how about when the municipal unions need to make some concessions.

C. Elliott-Req. Mgr. update Council on RFP for LeLacheur Park
C. R. Mercier-Req. Comm/Whole req. addt’l meetings w/Arena/Stadium Comm to discuss lease of LeLacheur Park
Back to the future! We are debating the stadium issue all over again. Those of us who remember the arguments and the fights around the construction of both the arena and the stadium are going to relive this. The debate between the two Merciers on this issue was interesting. I think if people think with their brain and not their heart, the Spinners will stay here with a reasonable contract that will benefit the City.

C. R. Mercier-Req. Mgr. improve communications w/City Council
CM Bernie Lynch has CC Rita Mercier on his speed dial and like all good managers he is working on his communication skill. CC Lenzi stated that the CC is starving for information. I think he was suggesting that discussion take place before the meeting or go into executive session. I guess he does not know about open meeting laws. Oh, they do not like text messages and e-mails.

CM Bernie Lynch is reading the handwriting on the wall. It reminds me of the days when the skids were put on previous CMs.

This guy provides more information than any other CM; just look at our city web site; the motions are posted and the answers are provided.

CC A. Kazanjian announced he likes Bernie. He asked the questions because Bernie is the CEO and is not keeping the Board of Directors (the CC) informed.

C. Kazanjian, C. A. Mericer, C. Elliott, C. Lenzi, M. Caulfield-Req. Mgr. continue discussion U Mass Lowell & State Officials re: Control of Tsongas Arena
Who is the individual who wants to purchase the Arena and the land next to it? If it is the Chancellor; that I not the sense that I got when I heard him speak. I agree with CC J. Milinazzo that it appears from the statement made by CCs, they have been “negotiating” with the Chancellor.

CM Lynch did call out whoever keeps passing around that it was he who pulled the plug from under “the Chancellor.” I thought I heard Marty say a number of times that he is not interested.

By the way, who decided that we wanted this off our books? We want the best deal possible and if it is keeping the arena and developing the land, than that is what it should be. I find it ironic that some of the 6 of the current sitting City Councilors who voted for the killer contact with the Devils are now crying the blues about the Arena.

I am not crazy about dogs. But I can clearly say that there are a lot of dog lovers in this City. Tonight the City Council held a public hearing on an ordinance that would have required “pit bulls” to be muzzled.

The 1-hour long public hearing and vote was the result of a September 23rd motion that was passed by the CC “Request the City Manager to have Animal Control and the Police Department to enforce the existing Leash Law and investigate instituting possible restrictions on Pit Bulls

So part one was done and now the CC had to focus on part II: “the pit bull.”

There were two people who spoke in favor; both had their dogs attacked by another dog which they described as a pit bull. There were dozens who spoke emotionally and convincingly against the ordinance.

I did not know that most dogs which are identified as pit bull are not. The Humane Society, the MSPCA, Lowell Unleashed (the city’s dog lovers club), a veterinarian, an animal hospital worker, and a number of other professsionals spoke against this regulation. By far, the dog owners who live in Lowell were the most passionate and convincing.

The residents who spoke against this ordinance made two great points: one enforce the current leash law and dog permitting ordinance and second, we just passed a vicious dog ordinance, why not let that law be implemented and fully evaluated before we pass a stronger and discriminatory ordinance.

Here is a statistics that should concern all of us: 265 strayed dogs were picked up in this City; 8 were licensed. Lowell needs more than one animal control enforcer!

CC Jim Milinazzo, Chair of the Public Safety Sub-Committee (CC R. Elliott, A. Kazanjian) reported that the Sub-Committee recommended to the Council to support this action. But he then stated that based on the comments made at the Public Hearing, he moved to delay the vote to further discuss the issue with the experts and perhaps make some adjustments.

This public hearing should serve as encouragement to all of us. If you are passionate, your arguments are sound and you motivate people to speak up, you will persevere.

Congratulations to all your dog lovers!

I rarely travel the Pike, and so the debate about toll hikes and paying off the Turnpike’s Big Dig debt doesn’t really affect me. But for commuters on that road and others with tolls, it gets very expensive. Just the few times I’ve gone only three exits (and read down the card about the fees on traveling further) I cringe imagining having to do this every day, all the way in to Boston.

It may be that the Turnpike is responsible for a lot of the Big Dig debt (and we are not going to debate the Big Dig here right now) but is it fair to sack a subset of commuters with tolls hikes when the state as a whole has benefited from the infrastructure added in Boston? (Yes, even western MA benefits when our state has better infrastructure to offer businesses and citizens in its largest city.)

It finally appears there’s movement from the Governor to consider the gas tax. If there needs to be a revenue increase to pay down that debt, let it be that. For one, I’m all for gas being a little more expensive than not. Sure, it hurts us all when we’re paying $4/gallon, but a whole lot of good came out of that - US automakers woke up suddenly, that’s for sure, and though I’m certain they have the capacity to go back to sleep again and screw us, I think the political will might exist to find a permanent solution, like going to electric and hybrids via CAFE standards. The more costly gas actually is, the more likely these changes will occur.

But also, a few cents on the gallon is not going to kill even the poorest commuter. I’m sorry, but I have no sympathy. Whether gas is $1.70 or $1.80 - an increase of $1 for 10 gallons - it doesn’t break anyone’s bank. And if you have a 20+ gallon tank to fill, that was your choice when you bought your vehicle. My car gets good gas mileage (especially for a 12-year-old car) and we use public transportation, and therefore I reap the benefits of not filling my tiny tank more than maybe once a week.

And beyond that, Patrick says he’s considering the gas tax hike as a compromise to go with reforming the whole Turnpike/T/transportation system, which we all know needs to have some feathered nests upset, and that there are efficiencies to be found. Besides the fairness issue of spreading the responsibility to all commuting citizens and businesses, this is a perfect opportunity to do this, and I encourage the Governor to pursue this with the same vigor he’s pursued less viable revenue-earning changes such as casinos.